They have you nothing now they are mad you made the most of everything. Once you start bettering yourself they don't want you doing better than them. Anything you do bothers them no one cares or paying attention to them. They keep talking just keep ignoring them don't react because once you give them attention it ends up being a waste of your time.
It will fuel them to talk since they haven't done anything relavent.
Just keep doing your own thing from the bottom to the top don't stop. After being denied all you could do is keep working for it.